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Psalm Six                            

 

Psalm 6

Chapter Contents

The psalmist deprecates God's wrath and begs for the return of his favour. (1-7) He assures himself of an answer of peace. (8-10)

Commentary on Psalm 6:1-7

(Read Psalm 6:1-7)

These verses speak the language of a heart truly humbled of a broken and contrite spirit under great afflictions sent to awaken conscience and mortify corruption. Sickness brought sin to his remembrance and he looked upon it as a token of God's displeasure against him. The affliction of his body will be tolerable if he has comfort in his soul. Christ's sorest complaint in his sufferings was of the trouble of his soul and the want of his Father's smiles. Every page of Scripture proclaims the fact that salvation is only of the Lord. Man is a sinner his case can only be reached by mercy; and never is mercy more illustrious than in restoring backsliders. With good reason we may pray that if it be the will of God and he has any further work for us or our friends to do in this world he will yet spare us or them to serve him. To depart and be with Christ is happiest for the saints; but for them to abide in the flesh is more profitable for the church.

Commentary on Psalm 6:8-10

(Read Psalm 6:8-10)

What a sudden change is here! Having made his request known to God the psalmist is confident that his sorrow will be turned into joy. By the workings of God's grace upon his heart he knew his prayer was accepted and did not doubt but it would in due time be answered. His prayers will be accepted coming up out of the hands of Christ the Mediator. The word signifies prayer made to God the righteous Judge as the God of his righteousness who would plead his cause and right his wrongs. A believer through the blood and righteousness of Christ can go to God as a righteous God and plead with him for pardon and cleansing who is just and faithful to grant both. He prays for the conversion of his enemies or foretells their ruin.

── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》

 

Psalm 6

Verse 2

[2] Have mercy upon me O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD heal me; for my bones are vexed.

Bones — My inmost parts.

Verse 5

[5] For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

In death — Among the dead.

Remembrance — He speaks of the remembrance or celebration of God's grace in the land of the living to the edification of God's church and the propagation of true religion among men; which is not done in the other life.

Verse 6

[6] I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

With my tears — It well becomes the greatest spirits to be tender and to relent under the tokens of God's displeasure. David who could face Goliath himself melts into tears at the remembrance of sin and under the apprehension of Divine wrath and it is no diminution to his character.

Verse 8

[8] Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

Hath heard — By the workings of God's grace upon his heart he knew his prayer was accepted. His tears had a voice in the ears of the God of mercy. Silent tears are no speechless ones. Our tears are cries to God.

Verse 10

[10] Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

Ashamed — Of their vain confidence.

Return — Repent of their sins and return to their obedience.

── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》

 

Psalm 6

Exposition
Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village Preacher
Other Works

TITLE. This Psalm is commonly known as the first of the PENITENTIAL PSALMS (The other six are 32 38 51 102 130 143) and certainly its language well becomes the lip of a penitent for it expresses at once the sorrow (verses 3 6 7) the humiliation (verses 2 and 4) and the hatred of sin (verse 8) which are the unfailing marks of the contrite spirit when it turns to God. O Holy Spirit beget in us the true repentance which needeth not to be repented of. The title of this Psalm is "To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith (1 Chronicle 15:21) A Psalm of David " that is to the chief musician with stringed instruments upon the eighth probably the octave. Some think it refers to the bass or tenor key which would certainly be well adapted to this mournful ode. But we are not able to understand these old musical terms and even the term "Selah " still remains untranslated. This however should be no difficulty in our way. We probably lose but very little by our ignorance and it may serve to confirm our faith. It is a proof of the high antiquity of these Psalms that they contain words the meaning of which is lost even to the best scholars of the Hebrew language. Surely these are but incidental (accidental I might almost say if I did not believe them to be designed by God) proofs of their being what they profess to be the ancient writings of King David of olden times.

DIVISION. You will observe that the Psalm is readily divided into two parts. First there is the Psalmist's plea in his great distress reaching from the first to the end of the seventh verse. Then you have from the eighth to the end quite a different theme. The Psalmist has changed his note. He leaves the minor key and betakes himself to sublimer strains. He tunes his note to the high key of confidence and declares that God hath heard his prayer and hath delivered him out of all his troubles.

EXPOSITION

Verse 1. Having read through the first division in order to see it as a whole we will now look at it verse by verse. "O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger." The Psalmist is very conscious that he deserves to be rebuked and he feels moreover that the rebuke in some form or other must come upon him if not for condemnation yet for conviction and sanctification. "Corn is cleaned with wind and the soul with chastenings." It were folly to pray against the golden hand which enriches us by its blows. He does not ask that the rebuke may be totally withheld for he might thus lose a blessing in disguise; but "Lord rebuke me not in thine anger." If thou remindest me of my sin it is good; but oh remind me not of it as one incensed against me lest thy servant's heart should sink in despair. Thus saith Jeremiah "O Lord correct me but with judgment; not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing." I know that I must be chastened and though I shrink from the rod yet do I feel that it will be for my benefit; but oh my God "chasten me not in thy hot displeasure " lest the rod become a sword and lest in smiting thou shouldest also kill. So may we pray that the chastisements of our gracious God if they may not be entirely removed may at least be sweetened by the consciousness that they are "not in anger but in his dear covenant love."

Verse 2. "Have mercy upon me O Lord; for I am weak." Though I deserve destruction yet let thy mercy pity my frailty. This is the right way to plead with God if we would prevail. Urge not your goodness or your greatness but plead your sin and your littleness. Cry "I am weak " therefore O Lord give me strength and crush me not. Send not forth the fury of thy tempest against so weak a vessel. Temper the wind to the shorn lamb. Be tender and pitiful to a poor withering flower and break it not from its stem. Surely this is the plea that a sick man would urge to move the pity of his fellow if he were striving with him "Deal gently with me 'for I am weak.'" A sense of sin had so spoiled the Psalmist's pride so taken away his vaunted strength that he found himself weak to obey the law weak through the sorrow that was in him too weak perhaps to lay hold on the promise. "I am weak." The original may be read "I am one who droops " or withered like a blighted plant. Ah! beloved we know what this means for we too have seen our glory stained and our beauty like a faded flower.

Verse 3. "O Lord heal me; for my bones are vexed." Here he prays for healing not merely the mitigation of the ills he endured but their entire removal and the curing of the wounds which had arisen therefrom. His bones were "shaken " as the Hebrew has it. His terror had become so great that his very bones shook; not only did his flesh quiver but the bones the solid pillars of the house of manhood were made to tremble. "My bones are shaken." Ah when the soul has a sense of sin it is enough to make the bones shake; it is enough to make a man's hair stand up on end to see the flames of hell beneath him an angry God above him and danger and doubt surrounding him. Well might he say "My bones are shaken." Lest however we should imagine that it was merely bodily sickness— although bodily sickness might be the outward sign—the Psalmist goes on to say "My soul is also sore vexed." Soul-trouble is the very soul of trouble. It matters not that the bones shake if the soul be firm but when the soul itself is also sore vexed this is agony indeed. "But thou O Lord how long?" This sentence ends abruptly for words failed and grief drowned the little comfort which dawned upon him. The Psalmist had still however some hope; but that hope was only in his God. He therefore cries "O Lord how long?" The coming of Christ into the soul in his priestly robes of grace is the grand hope of the penitent soul; and indeed in some form or other Christ's appearance is and ever has been the hope of the saints.
Calvin's favourite exclamation was "Domine usquequo"—"O Lord how long?" Nor could his sharpest pains during a life of anguish force from him any other word. Surely this is the cry of the saints under the altar "O Lord how long?" And this should be the cry of the saints waiting for the millennial glories "Why are his chariots so long in coming; Lord how long?" Those of us who have passed through conviction of sin knew what it was to count our minutes hours and our hours years while mercy delayed its coming. We watched for the dawn of grace as they that watch for the morning. Earnestly did our anxious spirits ask "O Lord how long?"

Verse 4. "Return O Lord; deliver my soul." As God's absence was the main cause of his misery so his return would be enough to deliver him from his trouble. "Oh save me for thy mercies' sake." He knows where to look and what arm to lay hold upon. He does not lay hold on God's left hand of justice but on his right hand of mercy. He knew his iniquity too well to think of merit or appeal to anything but the grace of God.
"For thy mercies' sake." What a plea that is! How prevalent it is with God! If we turn to justice what plea can we urge? but if we turn to mercy we may still cry notwithstanding the greatness of our guilt "Save me for thy mercies' sake."
Observe how frequently David here pleads the name of Jehovah which is always intended where the word LORD is given in capitals. Five times in four verses we here meet with it. Is not this a proof that the glorious name is full of consolation to the tempted saint? Eternity Infinity Immutability Self-existence are all in the name Jehovah and all are full of comfort.

Verse 5. And now David was in great fear of death—death temporal and perhaps death eternal. Read the passage as you will the following verse is full of power. "For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Churchyards are silent places; the vaults of the sepulchre echo not with songs. Damp earth covers dumb mouths. "O Lord!" saith he "if thou wilt spare me I will praise thee. If I die then must my mortal praise at least be suspended; and if I perish in hell then thou wilt never have any thanksgiving from me. Songs of gratitude cannot rise from the flaming pit of hell. True thou wilt doubtless be glorified even in my eternal condemnation but then O Lord I cannot glorify thee voluntarily; and among the sons of men there will be one heart the less to bless thee." Ah! poor trembling sinners may the Lord help you to use this forcible argument! It is for God's glory that a sinner should be saved. When we seek pardon we are not asking God to do that which will stain his banner or put a blot on his escutcheon. He delighteth in mercy. It is his peculiar darling attribute. Mercy honours God. Do not we ourselves say "Mercy blesseth him that gives and him that takes?" And surely in some diviner sense this is true of God who when he gives mercy glorifies himself.

Verse 6. The Psalmist gives a fearful description of his long agony: "I am weary with my groaning." He has groaned till his throat was hoarse; he had cried for mercy till prayer became a labour. God's people may groan but they may not grumble. Yea they must groan being burdened or they will never shout in the day of deliverance. The next sentence we think is not accurately translated. It should be "I shall make my bed to swim every night" (when nature needs rest and when I am most alone with my God). That is to say my grief is fearful even now but if God do not soon save me it will not stay of itself but will increase until my tears will be so many that my bed itself shall swim. A description rather of what he feared would be than of what had actually taken place. May not our forebodings of future woe become arguments which faith may urge when seeking present mercy?

Verse 7. "I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all my enemies." As an old man's eye grows dim with years so says David my eye is grown red and feeble through weeping. Conviction sometimes has such an effect upon the body that even the outward organs are made to suffer. May not this explain some of the convulsions and hysterical attacks which have been experienced under convictions in the revivals in Ireland? Is it surprising that some souls be smitten to the earth and begin to cry aloud; when we find that David himself made his bed to swim and grew old while he was under the heavy hand of God? Ah! brethren it is no light matter to feel one's self a sinner condemned at the bar of God. The language of this Psalm is not strained and forced but perfectly natural to one in so sad a plight.

Verse 8. Hitherto all has been mournful and disconsolate but now—

"Your harps ye trembling saints
Down from the willows take."

Ye must have your times of weeping but let them be short. Get ye up get ye up from your dunghills! Cast aside your sackcloth and ashes! Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.
David has found peace and rising from his knees he begins to sweep his house of the wicked. "Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity." The best remedy for us against an evil man is a long space between us both. "Get ye gone; I can have no fellowship with you." Repentance is a practical thing. It is not enough to bemoan the desecration of the temple of the heart we must scourge out the buyers and sellers and overturn the tables of the money changers. A pardoned sinner will hate the sins which cost the Saviour his blood. Grace and sin are quarrelsome neighbours and one or the other must go to the wall.
"For the Lord hath hear the voice of my weeping." What a fine Hebraism and what grand poetry it is in English! "He hath heard the voice of my weeping." Is there a voice in weeping? Does weeping speak? In what language doth it utter its meaning? Why in that universal tongue which is known and understood in all the earth and even in heaven above. When a man weeps whether he be a Jew or Gentile Barbarian Scythian bond or free it has the same meaning in it. Weeping is the eloquence of sorrow. It is an unstammering orator needing no interpreter but understood of all. Is it not sweet to believe that our tears are understood even when words fail? Let us learn to think of tears as liquid prayers and of weeping as a constant dropping of importunate intercession which will wear its way right surely into the very heart of mercy despite the stony difficulties which obstruct the way. My God I will "weep" when I cannot plead for thou hearest the voice of my weeping.

Verse 9. "The Lord hath heard my supplication." The Holy Spirit had wrought into the Psalmist's mind the confidence that his prayer was heard. This is frequently the privilege of the saints. Praying the prayer of faith they are often infallibly assured that they have prevailed with God. We read of Luther that having on one occasion wrestled hard with God in prayer he came leaping out of his closet crying "Vicimus vicimus;" that is We have conquered we have prevailed with God." Assured confidence is no idle dream for when the Holy Ghost bestows it upon us we know its reality and could not doubt it even though all men should deride our boldness. "The Lord will receive my prayer." Here is past experience used for future encouragement. He hath he will. Note this O believer and imitate its reasoning.

Verse 10. "Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed." This is rather a prophecy than an imprecation it may be read in the future "All my enemies shall be ashamed and sore vexed." They shall return and be ashamed instantaneously —in a moment;—their doom shall come upon them suddenly. Death's day is doom's day and both are sure and may be sudden. The Romans were wont to say "The feet of the avenging Deity are shod with wool." With noiseless footsteps vengeance nears its victim and sudden and overwhelming shall be its destroying stroke. If this were an imprecation we must remember that the language of the old dispensation is not that of the new. We pray for our enemies not against them. God have mercy on them and bring them into the right way.
Thus the Psalm like those which preceed it shews the different estates of the godly and the wicked. O Lord let us be numbered with thy people both now and forever!

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Whole Psalm. David was a man that was often exercised with sickness and troubles from enemies and in all the instances almost that we meet with in the Psalms of these his afflictions we may observe the outward occasions of trouble brought him under the suspicion of God's wrath and his own iniquity; so that he was seldom sick or persecuted but this called on the disquiet of conscience and brought his sin to remembrance; as in this Psalm which was made on the occasion of his sickness as appears from verse eight wherein he expresseth the vexation of his soul under the apprehension of God's anger; all his other griefs running into this channel as little brooks losing themselves in a great river change their name and nature. He that at first was only concerned for his sickness is now wholly concerned with sorrow and smart under the fear and hazard of his soul's condition; the like we may see in Psalm 38 and many places more. Richard Gilpin 1677.

Verse 1. "Rebuke me not." God hath two means by which he reduceth his children to obedience; his word by which he rebukes them; and his rod by which he chastiseth them. The word precedes admonishing them by his servants whom he hath sent in all ages to call sinners to repentance: of the which David himself saith "Let the righteous rebuke me;" and as a father doth first rebuke his disordered child so doth the Lord speak to them. But when men neglect the warnings of his word then God as a good Father takes up the rod and beats them. Our Saviour wakened the three disciples in the garden three times but seeing that served not he told them that Judas and his band were coming to awaken them whom his own voice could not waken. A. Symson 1638.

Verse 1. "Jehovah rebuke me not in thine anger " etc. He does not altogether refuse punishment for that would be unreasonable; and to be without it he judged would be more hurtful than beneficial to him; but what he is afraid of is the wrath of God which threatens sinners with ruin and perdition. To anger and indignation David tacitly opposes fatherly and gentle chastisement and this last he was willing to bear. John Calvin 1509 - 1564.

Verse 1. "O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger."

The anger of the Lord? Oh dreadful thought!
How can a creature frail as man endure
The tempest of his wrath? Ah whither flee
To 'scape the punishment he well deserves?
Flee to the cross! the great atonement there
Will shield the sinner if he supplicate
For pardon with repentence true and deep
And faith that questions not. Then will the frown
Of anger pass from off the face of God
Like a black tempest cloud that hides the sun.

Anon.

Verse 1. "Lord rebuke me not in thine anger " etc.; that is do not lay upon me that thou hast threatened in thy law; where anger is not put for the decree nor the execution but for the denouncing. So (Matthew 3:11 and so Hosea 11:9) "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger " that is I will not execute my wrath as I have declared it. Again it is said he executes punishment on the wicked; he declares it not only but executeth it so anger is put for the execution of anger. Richard Stock 1641.

Verse 1. "Neither chasten me in thine hot displeasure."

O keep up life and peace within
If I must feel thy chastening rod!
Yet kill not me but kill my sin
And let me know thou art my God.
O give my soul some sweet foretaste
Of that which I shall shortly see!
Let faith and love cry to the last
"Come Lord I trust myself with thee!"

Richard Baxter 1615-1691.

Verse 2. "Have mercy upon me O Lord." To fly and escape the anger of God David sees no means in heaven or in earth and therefore retires himself to God even to him that wounded him that he might heal him. He flies not with Adam to the bush nor with Saul to the witch nor with Jonah to Tarshish; but he appeals from an angry and just God to a merciful God and from himself to himself. The woman who was condemned by King Philip appealed from Philip being drunken to Philip being sober. But David appeals from one virtue justice to another mercy. There may be appellation from the tribunal of man to the justice-seat of God; but when thou art indicted before God's justice-seat whither or to whom wilt thou go but to himself and his mercy-seat which is the highest and last place of appellation? "I have none in heaven but thee nor in earth besides thee." . . . . . . David under the name of mercy includeth all things according to that of Jacob to his brother Esau "I have gotten mercy and therefore I have gotten all things." Desirest thou any thing at God's hands? Cry for mercy out of which fountain all good things will spring to thee. Archibald Symson.

Verse 2. "For I am weak." Behold what rhetoric he useth to move God to cure him "I am weak " an argument taken from his weakness which indeed were a weak argument to move any man to show his favour but is a strong argument to prevail with God. If a diseased person would come to a physician and only lament the heaviness of his sickness he would say God help thee; or an oppressed person come to a lawyer and show him the estate of his action and ask his advice that is a golden question; or to a merchant to crave raiment he will either have present money or a surety; or a courtier favour you must have your reward ready in your hand. But coming before God the most forcible argument that you can use is your necessity poverty tears misery unworthiness and confessing them to him it shall be an open door to furnish you with all things that he hath. . . . The tears of our misery are forcible arrows to pierce the heart of our heavenly Father to deliver us and pity our hard case. The beggars lay open their sores to the view of the world that the more they may move men to pity them. So let us deplore our miseries to God that he with the pitiful Samaritan at the sight of our wounds may help us in due time. Archibald Symson.

Verse 2. "Heal me " etc. David comes not to take physic upon wantonness but because the disease is violent because the accidents are vehement; so vehement so violent as that it hath pierced ad ossa and ad animam "My bones are vexed and my soul is sore troubled " therefore "heal me;" which is the reason upon which he grounds this second petition "Heal me because my bones are vexed " etc. John Donne.

Verse 2. "My bones are vexed." The Lord can make the strongest and most insensible part of a man's body sensible of his wrath when he pleaseth to touch him for here David's bones are vexed. David Dickson.

Verse 2. The term "bones" frequently occurs in the Psalms and if we examine we shall find it used in three different senses. (1.) It is sometimes applied literally to our blessed Lord's human body to the body which hung upon the cross as "They pierced my hands and my feet; I may tell all my bones " (2.) It has sometimes also a further reference to his mystical body the church. And then it denotes all the members of Christ's body that stand firm in the faith that cannot be moved by persecutions or temptations however severe as "All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee?" (3.) In some passages the term bones is applied to the soul and not to the body to the inner man of the individual Christian. Then it implies the strength and fortitude of the soul the determined courage which faith in God gives to the righteous. This is the sense in which it is used in the second verse of Psalm 6 . "O Lord heal me; for my bones are vexed." Augustine Ambrose and Chrysostom; quoted by F. H. Dunwell B.A. in "Parochial Lectures on the Psalms " 1855.

Verse 3. "My soul." Yokefellows in sin are yokefellows in pain; the soul is punished for informing the body for performing and as both the informer and performer the cause and the instrument so shall the stirrer up of sin and the executor of it be punished. John Donne.

Verse 3. "O Lord how long?" Out of this we have three things to observe; first that there is an appointed time which God hath measured for the crosses of all his children before which time they shall not be delivered and for which they must patiently attend not thinking to prescribe time to God for their delivery or limit the Holy One of Israel. The Israelites remained in Egypt till the complete number of four hundred and thirty years were accomplished. Joseph was three years and more in the prison till the appointed time of his delivery came. The Jews remained seventy years in Babylon. So that as the physician appointeth certain times to the patient both wherein he must fast and be dieted and wherein he must take recreation so God knoweth the convenient times both of our humiliation and exaltation. Next see the impatiency of our nature in our miseries our flesh still rebelling against the Spirit which oftentimes forgetteth itself so far that it will enter into reasoning with God and quarrelling with him as we may read in Job Jonas etc. and here also of David. Thirdly albeit the Lord delay his coming to relieve his saints yet hath he great cause if we could ponder it; for when we were in the heat of our sins many times he cried by the mouth of his prophets and servants "O fools how long will you continue in your folly?" And we would not hear; and therefore when we are in the heat of our pains thinking long yea every day a year till we be delivered no wonder is it if God will not hear; let us consider with ourselves the just dealing of God with us; that as he cried and we would not hear so now we cry and he will not hear. A. Symson.

Verse 3. "O Lord how long?" As the saints in heaven have their usque quo how long Lord holy and true before thou begin to execute judgment? So the saints on earth have their usque quo. How long Lord before thou take off the execution of this judgment upon us? For our deprecatory prayers are not mandatory they are not directory they appoint not God his ways nor times; but as our postulatory prayers are they also are submitted to the will of God and have all in them that ingredient that herb of grace which Christ put into his own prayer that veruntamen yet not my will but thy will be fulfilled; and they have that ingredient which Christ put into our prayer fiat voluntas thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven; in heaven there is no resisting of his will; yet in heaven there is a soliciting a hastening an accelerating of the judgment and the glory of the resurrection; so though we resist not his corrections here upon the earth we may humbly present to God the sense which we have of his displeasure for this sense and apprehension of his corrections is one of the principal reasons why he sends them; he corrects us therefore that we might be sensible of his corrections; that when we being humbled under his hand have said with his prophet "I will bear the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him" (Micah 7:9) he may be pleased to say to his correcting angel as he did to his destroying angel This is enough and so burn his rod now as he put up his sword then. John Donne.

Verse 4. "Return O Lord deliver my soul " etc. In this his besieging of God he brings up his works from afar off closer; he begins in this Psalm at a deprecatory prayer; he asks nothing but that God would do nothing that he would forbear him— rebuke me not correct me not. Now it costs the king less to give a pardon than to give a pension and less to give a reprieve than to give a pardon and less to connive not to call in question than either reprieve pardon or pension; to forbear is not much. But then as the mathematician said that he could make an engine a screw that should move the whole frame of the world if he could have a place assigned him to fix that engine that screw upon that so it might work upon the world; so prayer when one petition hath taken hold upon God works upon God moves God prevails with God entirely for all. David then having got this ground this footing in God he brings his works closer; he comes from the deprecatory to a postulatory prayer; not only that God would do nothing against him but that he would do something for him. God hath suffered man to see Arcana imperii the secrets of his state how he governs—he governs by precedent; by precedents of his predecessors he cannot he hath none; by precedents of other gods he cannot there are none; and yet he proceeds by precedents by his own precedents he does as he did before habenti dat to him that hath received he gives more and is willing to be wrought and prevailed upon and pressed with his own example. And as though his doing good were but to learn how to do good better still he writes after his own copy and nulla dies sine linea. He writes something to us that is he doth something for us every day. And then that which is not often seen in other masters his copies are better than the originals; his latter mercies larger than his former; and in this postulatory prayer larger than the deprecatory enters our text "Return O Lord; deliver my soul: O save me " etc. John Donne.

Verse 5. "For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who will give thee thanks?" Lord be thou pacified and reconciled to me. . . . for shouldest thou now proceed to take away my life as it were a most direful condition for me to die before I have propitiated thee so I may well demand what increase of glory or honour will it bring unto thee? Will it not be infinitely more glorious for thee to spare me till by true contrition I may regain thy favour?—and then I may live to praise and magnify thy mercy and thy grace: thy mercy in pardoning so great a sinner and then confess thee by vital actions of all holy obedience for the future and so demonstrate the power of thy grace which hath wrought this change in me; neither of which will be done by destroying me but only thy just judgments manifested in thy vengeance on sinners Henry Hammond D.D. 1659.

Verse 6. "I fainted in my mourning." It may seem a marvellous change in David being a man of such magnitude of mind to be thus dejected and cast down. Prevailed he not against Goliath against the lion and the bear through fortitude and magnanimity? But now he is sobbing sighing and weeping as a child! The answer is easy; the diverse persons with whom he hath to do occasioneth the same. When men and beasts are his opposites then he is more than a conqueror; but when he hath to do with God against whom he sinned then he is less than nothing.

Verse 6. "I caused my bed to swim." . . . . . . Showers be better than dews yet it is sufficient if God at least hath bedewed our hearts and hath given us some sign of a penitent heart. If we have not rivers of waters to pour forth with David neither fountains flowing with Mary Magdalen nor as Jeremy desire to have a fountain in our head to weep day and night nor with Peter weep bitterly; yet if we lament that we cannot lament and mourn that we cannot mourn: yea if we have the smallest sobs of sorrow and tears of compunction if they be true and not counterfeit they will make us acceptable to God; for as the woman with the bloody issue that touched the hem of Christ's garment was no less welcome to Christ than Thomas who put his fingers in the print of the nails; so God looketh not at the quantity but the sincerity of our repentance.

Verse 6. "My bed." The place of his sin is the place of his repentance and so it should be; yea when we behold the place where we have offended we should be pricked in the heart and there again crave him pardon. As Adam sinned in the garden and Christ sweat bloody tears in the garden. "Examine your hearts upon your beds and convert unto the Lord;" and whereas ye have stretched forth yourselves upon your bed to devise evil things repent there and make them sanctuaries to God. Sanctify by your tears every place which ye have polluted by sin. And let us seek Christ Jesus on our own bed with the spouse in the Canticles who saith "By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth." Archibald Symson.

Verse 6. "I water my couch with tears." Not only I wash but also I water. The faithful sheep of the great Shepherd go up from the washing place every one bringeth forth twins and none barren among them. Canticles 4:2. For so Jacob's sheep having conceived at the watering troughs brought forth strong and party-coloured lambs. David likewise who before had erred and strayed like a lost sheep making here his bed a washing-place by so much the less is barren in obedience by how much the more he is fruitful in repentance. In Solomon's temple stood the caldrons of brass to wash the flesh of those beasts which were to be sacrificed on the altar. Solomon's father maketh a water of his tears a caldron of his bed an altar of his heart a sacrifice not of the flesh of unreasonable beasts but of his own body a living sacrifice which is his reasonable serving of God. Now the Hebrew word here used signifies properly to cause to swim which is more than simply to wash. And thus the Geneva translation readeth it I cause my bed every night to swim. So that as the priests used to swim in the molten sea that they might be pure and clean against they performed the holy rites and services of the temple in like manner the princely prophet washeth his bed yea he swimmeth in his bed or rather he causeth his bed to swim in tears as in a sea of grief and penitent sorrow for his sin. Thomas Playfere 1604.

Verse 6. "I water my couch with my tears." Let us water our bed every night with our tears. Do not only blow upon it with intermissive blasts for then like fire it will resurge and flame the more. Sin is like a stinking candle newly put out it is soon lighted again. It may receive a wound but like a dog it will easily lick itself whole; a little forbearance multiplies it like Hydra's heads. Therefore whatsoever aspersion the sin of the day has brought upon us let the tears of the night wash away. Thomas Adams.

Verses 6 7. Soul-trouble is attended usually with great pain of body too and so a man is wounded and distressed in every part. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger says David. "The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit." Job 6:4. Sorrow of heart contracts the natural spirits making all their motions slow and feeble; and the poor afflicted body does usually decline and waste away; and therefore saith Heman "My soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave." In this inward distress we find our strength decay and melt even as wax before the fire; for sorrow darkeneth the spirits obscures the judgment blinds the memory as to all pleasant things and beclouds the lucid part of the mind causing the lamp of life to burn weakly. In this troubled condition the person cannot be without a countenance that is pale and wan and dejected like one that is seized with strong fear and consternation; all his motions are sluggish and no sprightliness nor activity remains. A merry heart doth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Hence come those frequent complaints in Scripture: My moisture is turned into the drought of the summer: I am like a bottle in the smoke; my soul cleaveth unto the dust: my face is foul with weeping and on my eyelid is the shadow of death. Job 16:16 30:17 18-19. "My bones are pierced in me in the night seasons and my sinews take no rest; by the great force of my disease is my garment changed. He hath cast me into the mire and I am become like dust and ashes. Many times indeed the trouble of the soul does begin from the weakness and indisposition of the body. Long affliction without any prospect of remedy does in process of time begin to distress the soul itself. David was a man often exercised with sickness and the rage of enemies; and in all the instances almost that we meet with him in the Psalms we may observe that the outward occasions of trouble brought him under an apprehension of the wrath of God for his sin. (Psalm 6:1 2; and the reasons given verses 5 and 6.) All his griefs running into this most terrible thought that God was his enemy. As little brooks lose themselves in a great river and change their name and nature it most frequently happens that when our pain is long and sharp and helpless and unavoidable we begin to question the sincerity of our estate toward God though at its first assault we had few doubts or fears about it. Long weakness of body makes the soul more susceptible of trouble and uneasy thoughts. Timothy Rogers on Trouble of Mind.

Verse 7. "Mine eye is consumed." Many make those eyes which God hath given them as it were two lighted candles to let them see to go to hell; and for this God in justice requiteth them seeing their minds are blinded by the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of life God I say sendeth sickness to debilitate their eyes which were so sharp-sighted in the devil's service and their lust now causeth them to want the necessary sight of their body.

Verse 7. "Mine enemies." The pirates seeing an empty bark pass by it; but if she be loaded with precious wares then they will assault her. So if a man have no grace within him Satan passeth by him as not a convenient prey for him; but being loaded with graces as the love of God his fear and such other spiritual virtues let him be persuaded that according as he knows what stuff is in him so will he not fail to rob him of them if in any case he may Archibald Symson.

Verse 7. That eye of his that had looked and lusted after his neighbour's wife is now dimmed and darkened with grief and indignation. He has wept himself almost blind. John Trapp.

Verse 8. "Depart from me " etc. i.e. you may now go your way; for that which you look for namely my death you shall not have at this present; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping i.e. has graciously granted me that which with tears I asked of him. Thomas Wilcocks.

Verse 8. "Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity." May not too much familiarity with profane wretches be justly charged upon church members? I know man is a sociable creature but that will not excuse saints as to their carelessness of the choice of their company. The very fowls of the air and beasts of the field love not heterogeneous company. "Birds of a feather flock together." I have been afraid that many who would be thought eminent of a high stature in grace and godliness yet see not the vast difference there is between nature and regeneration sin and grace the old and the new man seeing all company is alike unto them. Lewis Stuckley's "Gospel Glass" 1667.

Verse 8. "The voice of my weeping." Weeping hath a voice and as music upon the water sounds farther and more harmoniously than upon the land so prayers joined with tears cry louder in God's ears and make sweeter music than when tears are absent. When Antipater had written a large letter against Alexander's mother unto Alexander the king answered him "One tear from my mother will wash away all her faults." So it is with God. A penitent tear is an undeniable ambassador and never returns from the throne of grace unsatisfied. Spencer's Things New and Old.

Verse 8. The wicked are called "workers of iniquity " because they are free and ready to sin they have a strong tide and bent of spirit to do evil and they do it not to halves but thoroughly; they do not only begin or nibble at the bait a little (as a good man often doth) but greedily swallow it down hook and all; they are fully in it and do it fully; they make a work of it and so are "workers of iniquity." Joseph Caryl.

Verse 8. Some may say "My constitution is such that I cannot weep; I may as well go to squeeze a rock as think to get a tear." But if thou canst not weep for sin canst thou grieve? Intellectual mourning is best; there may be sorrow where there are no tears the vessel may be full though it wants vent; it is not so much the weeping eye God respects as the broken heart; yet I would be loath to stop their tears who can weep. God stood looking on Hezekiah's tears (Isaiah 38:5) "I have seen thy tears." David's tears made music in God's ears "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping." It is a sight fit for angels to behold tears as pearls dropping from a penitent eye. T. Watson.

Verse 8. "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping." God hears the voice of our looks God hears the voice of our tears sometimes better than the voice of our words; for it is the Spirit itself that makes intercession for us. Romans 8:26. Gemitibus inenarrabilibus in those groans and so in those tears which we cannot utter; ineloquacibus as Tertullian reads that place devout and simple tears which cannot speak speak aloud in the ears of God; nay tears which we cannot utter; not only utter the force of the tears but not utter the very tears themselves. As God sees the water in the spring in the veins of the earth before it bubble upon the face of the earth so God sees tears in the heart of a man before they blubber his face; God hears the tears of that sorrowful soul which for sorrow cannot shed tears. From this casting up of the eyes and pouring out the sorrow of the heart at the eyes at least opening God a window through which he may see a wet heart through a dry eye; from these overtures of repentance which are as those imperfect sounds of words which parents delight in in their children before they speak plain a penitent sinner comes to a verbal and a more expressive prayer. To these prayers these vocal and verbal prayers from David God had given ear and from this hearing of those prayers was David come to this thankful confidence "The Lord hath heard the Lord will hear." John Donne.

Verse 8. What a strange change is here all of a sudden! Well might Luther say "Prayer is the leech of the soul that sucks out the venom and swelling thereof." "Prayer " saith another "is an exorcist with God and an exorcist against sin and misery." Bernard saith "How oft hath prayer found me despairing almost but left me triumphing and well assured of pardon!" The same in effect saith David here "Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping." What a word is that to his insulting enemies! Avaunt! come out! vanish! These be words used to devils and dogs but good enough for a Doeg or a Shimei. And the Son of David shall say the same to his enemies when he comes to judgment. John Trapp.

Verse 9. "The Lord hath heard my supplication " etc. The psalmist three times expresses his confidence of his prayers being heard and received which may be either in reference to his having prayed so many times for help as the apostle Paul did (2 Corinthians 12:8); and as Christ his antitype did (Matthew 26:39 42 44); or to express the certainty of it the strength of his faith in it and the exuberance of his joy on account of it. John Gill D.D. 1697-1771.

Verse 10. "Let all mine enemies be ashamed " etc. If this were an imprecation a malediction yet it was medicinal and had rationem boni a charitable tincture and nature in it; he wished the men no harm as men. But it is rather prædictorium a prophetical vehemence that if they will take no knowledge of God's declaring himself in the protection of his servants if they would not consider that God had heard and would hear had rescued and would rescue his children but would continue their opposition against him heavy judgments would certainly fall upon them; their punishment should be certain but the effect should be uncertain; for God only knows whether his correction shall work upon his enemies to their mollifying or to their obduration. . . . In the second word "Let them be sore vexed " he wishes his enemies no worse than himself had been for he had used the same word of himself before Ossa turbata My bones are vexed; and Anima turbata My soul is vexed; and considering that David had found this vexation to be his way to God it was no malicious imprecation to wish that enemy the same physic that he had taken who was more sick of the same disease than he was. For this is like a troubled sea after a tempest; the danger is past but yet the billow is great still; the danger was in the calm in the security or in the tempest by misinterpreting God's correction to our obduration and to a remorseless stupefication; but when a man is come to this holy vexation to be troubled to be shaken with the sense of the indignation of God the storm is past and the indignation of God is blown over. That soul is in a fair and near way of being restored to a calmness and to reposed security of conscience that is come to this holy vexation. John Donne.

Verse 10. "Let all mine enemies [or all mine enemies shall] be ashamed and sore vexed " etc. Many of the mournful Psalms end in this manner to instruct the believer that he is continually to look forward and solace himself with beholding that day when his warfare shall be accomplished; when sin and sorrow shall be no more; when sudden and everlasting confusion shall cover the enemies of righteousness; when the sackcloth of the penitent shall be exchanged for a robe of glory and every tear becomes a sparkling gem in his crown; when to sighs and groans shall succeed the songs of heaven set to angels harps and faith shall be resolved into the vision of the Almighty. George Horne.

HINTS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER

Verse 1. A sermon for afflicted souls.
I. God's twofold dealings.
(1) Rebuke by a telling sermon a judgment on another a slight trial in our own person or a solemn monition in our conscience by the Spirit.
(2) Chastening. This follows the other when the first is disregarded. Pain losses bereavements melancholy and other trials.
II. The evils in them to be most dreaded anger and hot displeasure.
III. The means to avert these ills. Humiliation confession amendment faith in the Lord etc.

Verse 1. The believer's greatest dread the anger of God. What this fact reveals in the heart? Why is it so? What removes the fear?

Verse 2. The argumentum ad misericordiam.

Verse 2. First sentence—Divine healing.
(1) What precedes it my bones are vexed.
(2) How it is wrought.
(3) What succeeds it.

Verse 3. The impatience of sorrow; its sins mischief and cure.

Verse 3. A fruitful topic may be found in considering the question How long will God continue afflictions to the righteous?

Verse 4. "Return O Lord." A prayer suggested by a sense of the Lord's absence excited by grace attended with heart searching and repentance backed by pressing danger guaranteed as to its answer and containing a request for all mercies.

Verse 4. The praying of the deserted saint.

1. His state: his soul is evidently in bondage and danger;
2. His hope: it is in the Lord's return.
3. His plea: mercy only.

Verse 5. The final suspension of earthly service considered in various practical aspects.

Verse 5. The duty of praising God while we live.

Verse 6. Saint's tears in quality abundance influence assuagement and final end.

Verse 7. The voice of weeping. What it is.

Verse 8. The pardoned sinner forsaking his bad companions.

Verse 9. Past answers the ground of present confidence. He hath he will.

Verse 10. The shame reserved for the wicked.

WORKS UPON THE SIXTH PSALM

A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the Sixt Psalme the First of the Penitentials; in a sacred Septenarie; or a Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the Seven Psalmes of Repentance. by MR. ARCHIBALD SYMSON late Pastor of the Church at Dalkeeth in Scotland. 1638.

Sermons on the Penetential Psalms in "The Works of John Donne D.D. Dean of St. Paul's " 1621-1631. Edited by HENRY ALFORD M.A. In six volumes. 1839.

On Verse 6. The Sick Man's Couch; a Sermon preached before the most noble Prince Henry as Greenwich Mar. 12. ann. 1604. by THOMAS PLAYFERE. &c. in Playfere's Sermons.

── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》